The 7 Best Upright Freezers
Updated by · How we research
Seven compact and midsize upright freezers compared on capacity, defrosting, locks, energy use and warranty. The Whynter CUF-301SS wins on lock and efficiency. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Most upright freezers sold online at fair prices are compact models of two to five cubic feet that you defrost by hand, while full-size frost-free uprights are sold mainly through appliance stores. A compact suits an apartment, dorm, office or a corner of the kitchen. Shelves make food easier to find than in a chest, though a chest uses less power.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The Whynter CUF-301SS takes the top spot. It pairs a key lock and Energy Star certification with a fridge mode, in the compact size most people can buy online at a fair price. Six earlier picks are no longer sold here: the GE FUF17DLRWW, Frigidaire EFRF696-AMZ, SPT UF-304W and Danby Designer 8.5 are gone, and the RMYHome D6875 and Midea FR 109 are unavailable. We dropped the Whynter UDF-139SS because its remaining version now costs more than a full-size freezer from an appliance store and complaints about early failures are common, and the Costway Compact because similar models cost less. The Whynter CUF-210SS stays for tight spots.
New picks add room, with the Commercial Cool CCUL50W and the frost-free BLACK+DECKER BUC1100XW, and cover tighter budgets or longer coverage with the Kismile D5888S, Magic Chef MCUF3S2 and EUHOMY UF004-30. If you want a big frost-free upright for a garage, the GE and Frigidaire models below are the ones reviewers favor. For the evidence, we weighed Energy Star's freezer figures, the Taste of Home Test Kitchen's freezer trials, makers' spec sheets and warranty terms, and owner reports on noise, wobble and frost.
January 31, 2021:
The truth is most freezers available for the home are going to reliably keep food frozen. So, your choice should come down to the amount of storage space your need, functionality, and overall aesthetics. Few others offer the same amount of versatility as the Whynter UDF-139SS, so it is definitely a winner in the functionality department. It also has an attractive look, is energy star certified, and provides plenty of storage space. All of these reasons are why it is one of our top recommendations. Another winner in the functionality category is the GE FUF17DLRWW, which has digital controls that are smartly placed on the outside for convenient access. When it comes to aesthetics, the RMYHome D6875 is a true stand out model, with its slightly retro look and choice of colors, as is the Frigidaire EFRF696-AMZ, with its attractive lettering. To meet the needs of all space requirements, we have included models as small as 2.1 cubic feet, and those as large as 13.8 cubic feet.
April 05, 2019:
Maintained the Danby Designer for its large storage capacity, slender profile, and integrated door shelving. I decided to add the Costway Compact due to its leveling legs and interior control knob for convenient temperature adjustments. Like several of the other models available, its flush back makes it easy to push against a wall or set up in tight corners as well. Both the SPT UF-304W and EdgeStar CMF151L feature integrated security locks, the latter of which is designed to store medical items such as vaccines and medicines. While you wouldn't immediately think of a freezer in a medical capacity, such an appliance will definitely come in handy in a laboratory setting. I also decided to include the Frigidaire Spacewise, thanks to its modern conveniences that include interior LED lighting and color-coded basket clips, which make it easy to organize one's frozen foodstuffs. The fact that its thick walls keep items frozen for up to 2 days following a power outage makes it a great option for use in locations that experience major storms and hurricanes. Also kept the Whynter CUF-210SS for its removable shelves and ability to accommodate both large and bulky items. Finally, I wanted to include something professional-grade, so I decided to add the Atosa MBF8001 due to its built-in casters and top-mounted compressor.
Special Honors
GE FUF17DLRWW GE's 17.3-cubic-foot frost-free upright is a frequent pick among reviewers, and the Taste of Home Test Kitchen named it the best upright for a garage. It's garage ready, with front temperature controls, a lock and temperature alarms, though none of its shelves adjust. GE sells it through its own site and appliance retailers. geappliances.com
Frigidaire Upright Freezers Frigidaire makes a full line of frost-free uprights from about 13 to 20 cubic feet, including garage-ready models. Taste of Home picked its 13-cubic-foot garage-ready upright as the best midsize choice, citing its power-on light and a seal that held food frozen for two days in an outage. frigidaire.com
Manual Defrost Or Frost-Free
Frost builds on the walls and shelves over months, and you clear it by switching the unit off, emptying it and letting the ice melt.
Nearly every compact upright is manual defrost. Frost builds on the walls and shelves over months, and you clear it by switching the unit off, emptying it and letting the ice melt. In exchange, a manual model uses less power and has fewer parts to fail. Whynter puts its compact uprights at about 220 to 240 kilowatt-hours a year (Whynter).
Frost-free models warm their coils briefly on a timer, so ice never piles up. The Taste of Home Test Kitchen found the self-defrost setting keeps the inside drier and less prone to freezer burn, but it also noted that a manual-defrost mode trades extra upkeep for lower energy use (Taste of Home). Energy Star says a certified upright uses about 395 kilowatt-hours a year, against about 215 for a certified chest freezer, so its running cost is nearly double, and that certified freezers beat the federal minimum by at least 10 percent (Energy Star). Its product finder lists the yearly use of every certified model, which is the fairest way to compare two freezers before you buy.
How Much Space, And Where It Goes
Taste of Home sorts uprights into three classes: small at five to nine cubic feet, medium at 12 to 18, and large above that (Taste of Home). The mini models most people buy online sit below even the small class, at two to five cubic feet. Two or three cubic feet holds ice cream, frozen meals and a few weeks of meat for one or two people. A family that buys in bulk or freezes garden produce should look at 11 cubic feet or more.
Placement matters as much as size. A freezer that isn't rated for a garage can struggle when the room drops below freezing or climbs past 110 degrees, and Taste of Home advises keeping such models out of those spots. Garage-ready models, such as the GE FUF17DLRWW, are built to run across that range. Light compacts have quirks too: Taste of Home's mini test unit tipped forward when opened while nearly empty, and its exposed back got warm, so leave space around the cabinet, set it on a level floor and keep it away from curious pets and kids.
Power Outages, Locks And Recalls
A full freezer holds a safe temperature for about 48 hours with the door shut, and a half-full one for about 24, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA FSIS). The same agency says to keep a freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Several compact models have dials whose warmest settings sit above zero, so set them toward the cold end and check with an appliance thermometer.
A keyed lock, as on the Whynter compacts, is about keeping roommates, coworkers or kids out of the food. Modern freezer doors seal with magnets, unlike the latching doors on some old freezers that could trap a child, so a lock isn't a safety feature. We checked each brand on this list against the Consumer Product Safety Commission's records and found no freezer recalls. The best-known upright recall is older: in 2005, W.C. Wood recalled upright freezers sold under the Amana, Crosley, Danby, Maytag and Whirlpool names because of an exposed defrost heater (CPSC).
How we researched this
We compared about 20 upright freezers, read the makers' spec sheets and warranty terms for the seven picks, drew on the Taste of Home Test Kitchen's trials of full-size and compact uprights, Energy Star's freezer data and USDA food-safety guidance, analyzed owner feedback on noise, wobble and frost, and checked every brand against Consumer Product Safety Commission recall records.
Sources (10)
- Whynter: CUF-301SS compact upright freezer
- Whynter: CUF-210SS compact upright freezer
- Magic Chef: MCUF3S2 3.0 cu ft upright freezer
- Kismile: free-standing upright freezer
- Taste of Home: The Best Upright Freezers, tested
- Energy Star: Freezers
- Energy Star: certified residential freezers finder
- USDA FSIS: Keep your food safe during emergencies
- CPSC: W.C. Wood upright freezer recall (2005)
- GE Appliances: FUF17DLRWW
Frequently asked questions
Should I get a manual-defrost or frost-free upright freezer?
Manual defrost costs less and uses less power, but you'll need to empty it and melt the frost every few months. Frost-free saves that chore and limits freezer burn, at a higher price and power draw. Most compact uprights are manual; most full-size ones are frost-free.
How long will food stay frozen in a power outage?
About 48 hours in a full freezer and about 24 in a half-full one, if the door stays shut, according to the USDA. Keeping the freezer full and opening it as little as possible helps.
Can I put an upright freezer in the garage?
Only if it's rated as garage ready. Other models can struggle when the garage drops below freezing or gets very hot. Check the maker's operating range before you buy.
Does an upright freezer use more power than a chest freezer?
Usually, yes. Energy Star puts a certified upright at about 395 kilowatt-hours a year and a certified chest at about 215. Uprights make food easier to find, while chests hold cold better when opened.
What temperature should a freezer be set to?
Zero degrees Fahrenheit or colder, per the USDA. Many compact freezers use a numbered dial instead of degrees, so an appliance thermometer is the easiest way to confirm.
